Chapter 73: Jia Baoyu visits.

Before they knew it, it was Qixi Festival. The Empress Dowager had intended to use this as a pretext to summon the daughters of various families to the palace, but she had fallen ill a couple of days earlier and had no choice but to drop the topic.

When Chu Heng and Daiyu came to the palace to pay their respects, the Empress Dowager had just taken her medicine and gone to sleep, while the Empress and Consort Wu were just coming out of their bedchamber.

After paying his respects, Chu Heng asked, "May I ask, Your Majesty, how is Mother? Is she alright?"

The Empress said, "Fifth Brother and Sister-in-law are very kind. It's alright, Your Majesty. The Imperial Physician said that she will recover well after taking two doses of medicine."

Chu Heng nodded and smiled, "That's good."

Daiyu also smiled and said, "The Empress Dowager is blessed with boundless good fortune."

Consort Wu replied after hearing her speak, "The Empress Dowager only ate two bites of the eldest princess's ice cream and her stomach couldn't handle it. It's nothing serious. However, she should pay more attention to her diet in the future, since the elderly have a weaker stomach."

They were unaware of the details of the Empress Dowager's illness, and upon hearing Consort Wu's words, both of them deeply regretted that they had come at the wrong time.

It turns out that the Empress and Consort Wu are using the Empress Dowager's illness as an excuse to fight each other!

Upon hearing this, the Empress immediately said, "The Empress Dowager also dotes on her grandchildren. I am often afraid that Jie'er and Rong'er will disturb the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager just likes to have the two children around."

Consort Wu scoffed inwardly. What good was it if the Empress Dowager liked him? How many more years could an old woman like her live? Could she protect the eldest prince for the rest of his life? In the end, gaining the Emperor's favor was the most important thing.

Chu Heng interjected, "Your Majesty, Consort, Your Highness, Your Majesty and I will take our leave now and come to pay our respects to the Empress Dowager tomorrow."

The Empress nodded: "Go ahead. Fifth Brother and Sister-in-law, don't worry about the Empress Dowager. I'll take care of her."

Consort Wu knew that the Emperor had recently been very fond of Prince Duan, and that the marriage between the eldest prince and the second prince was in Chengdu thanks to Prince Duan. Therefore, she intended to befriend Princess Duan, since everyone in the palace knew that Prince Duan loved his wife.

However, the Empress was clearly on guard.

Consort Wu believed that the Emperor valued her and her son more. She raised her chin and glanced at the Empress, thinking with some disdain, "What's the use of being wary? In the end, would Prince Duan dare to disobey His Majesty?"

On the carriage leaving the palace, Daiyu sighed, "The Empress Dowager is ill, and to show their filial piety, the Empress and the Imperial Concubine will certainly not want to leave her bedside. If we come again tomorrow, we will run into them again."

Chu Heng took a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from Daiyu's temples: "Now that you're so popular in their eyes, naturally none of them want to befriend you."

Daiyu smiled and said, "Thanks to the Prince."

Chu Heng thought for a moment and then smiled, "Miss Lin, I suppose they'll have to give you some benefits. Since it's all thanks to me, will you share some with me in the future?"

Daiyu tilted her head: "Good things are hard to come by. Whether I give them to you or not depends on my mood."

Chu Heng pinched her earlobe: "It seems I need to make you happy first... Do you have some agate in the storeroom? Have someone make you a few pairs of earrings."

Daiyu was taken aback by his quick change of topic and said after a moment of surprise, "I don't lack these things."

"You look good in them," Chu Heng said with a smile. "I'll also have someone make you some new clothes to match the earrings."

Daiyu sighed helplessly, "Don't I have enough clothes?"

"Not much, not much," Chu Heng said with a grin. "We have so much material stored in our warehouse, it would be a waste to just leave it there. We might as well make it into clothes."

Daiyu sighed and said, "Fine, I'll have them make a few for you too." As soon as she finished speaking, seeing that Chu Heng was about to speak again, she quickly added, "I haven't finished what I was saying earlier. I'm between the Empress and the Imperial Concubine, just like you are between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. I can try to win them over, but ultimately, we can't afford to offend either of them."

"Hmm." Chu Heng's smile faded slightly as he gently rubbed Daiyu's hand. "I'm sorry you had to go through all this."

Daiyu smiled and said, "I'm not wronged. Don't overthink it. Those are the Empress and the Imperial Concubine. They both greeted me with smiles. What could I possibly be wronged about?"

Chu Heng naturally knew that the Empress and the Imperial Concubine's attitudes depended on his importance to the Emperor. If he wanted Daiyu to be treated unfairly, he absolutely could not afford to lose face.

...

While the Empress Dowager was still recuperating, Chu Heng was already busy again. The Zhen family in Jiangnan was accused of forming cliques, embezzling and accepting bribes, running rampant in the countryside, and oppressing the people. The Zhen family had produced a concubine, and the Emperor used this as a pretext to order Chu Heng to get involved as well.

At home, Chu Heng complained to Daiyu, "Am I working in the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs or the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review? I'm being asked to investigate these things all day long. I might as well just go to the Ministry of Justice tomorrow."

Upon hearing the mention of the Zhen family, Daiyu immediately thought of the Jia family and became lost in thought, failing to respond to Chu Heng in time.

Seeing this, Chu Heng asked with concern, "What are you thinking about? What's wrong?"

Daiyu came to her senses and said, "It's nothing... I just thought that the Zhen family and the Jia family are old relatives, and I wondered if the Zhen family's affairs would involve the Jia family."

Chu Heng grasped her hand: "Right now, it doesn't point to the Jia family. If we investigate further, we might not know what will happen."

Based on Chu Heng's understanding of the Jia family, even if the Zhen family's matter doesn't involve them this time, their family still has hidden explosives that could explode at any time.

Daiyu shook her head and said only, "If the Jia family is involved, you don't need to worry about me."

If the Jia family really did something that the emperor could not tolerate, who could save them?

Chu Heng did not send any news about whether the Jia family was involved, but news about the Jia family reached Daiyu's ears, delivered personally by Jia Baoyu.

That day, Daiyu was enjoying tea and admiring flowers when a messenger came to report: "The second master of the second branch of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion requests an audience with the Princess."

Daiyu was taken aback, and it took her a moment to realize that it was Jia Baoyu.

When a man from outside the family requests an audience, Daiyu should not, but she fears that Jia Baoyu might make a ruckus outside and cause more trouble. The Prince Duan's mansion cannot tolerate any complications at this time.

Daiyu then said, "Please invite him to the front hall."

"Zijuan..." Daiyu instructed, "Change your clothes, all of you come with me."

"Yes." Zijuan quickly agreed, but while helping Daiyu change her clothes, she was still a little worried. "Why is Master Bao here to see Miss out of the blue? Could it be the old lady's idea?"

After a moment's thought, Daiyu remembered that the old lady had fallen ill when she last visited. Given her own response and Chu Heng's warning, she should not dare to have any other thoughts.

Besides, even if something happened, did she think calling Jia Baoyu would be of any use?

Who knows? In the past two years, Grandmother Jia has become somewhat confused. Perhaps she just can't learn from her mistakes.

Daiyu simply said, "You all need to be careful and keep an eye on things."

Zijuan, Xueyan, and several of Daiyu's dowry maids nodded repeatedly. They knew Bao Erye's temper all too well. It was one thing to cause trouble in the Jia family, but to make a scene in the Prince's mansion would be quite something!

After a long time apart, when they met Jia Baoyu again, he seemed more listless than before. He did not greet Daiyu and just stared blankly at her.

Daiyu knew his temperament and had no intention of arguing: "Sit down."

Jia Baoyu was stunned for a moment before slowly sitting down, holding onto the chair. He looked at Daiyu for a while before saying in a daze, "Lin Daiyu got married, Second Sister is getting married too, Xiren left, Qingwen left, Third Sister and Fourth Sister are also engaged, it's all over, it's all over..."

Since her marriage, Daiyu rarely inquired about the Jia family. Only after hearing Jia Baoyu's words did she realize that Yingchun was already engaged and what it meant that Xiren and Qingwen had left.

Now is not the time to explore these things. Daiyu understood what Jia Baoyu meant; he wished that all the beautiful girls in the world would surround him.

But how could that be?

Daiyu said, "All good things must come to an end. When we grow up, we all have to go through this. Is this what you came here to tell me?"

Jia Baoyu said dejectedly, "Lin Daiyu is too heartless. We grew up together since we were little, and we were so close. Now that we haven't seen each other for so long, don't you have anything to ask me?"

What does it mean to say all this to Daiyu now? Does it mean that Daiyu has betrayed him? Even now, Daiyu's future is still uncertain, yet Jia Baoyu is saying things that blame her.

Daiyu said impatiently, "If you have nothing else, I'll see you out."

"As expected...as expected..." Jia Baoyu grinned, somewhat like a madman, "Grandma said that Lin Daiyu no longer has me in her eyes or heart, and it's true."

Zijuan was alarmed and quickly stepped forward: "Second Master Bao, you were young and didn't know any better before. There was no animosity between you and the young lady. Now that you're older and she's married, you should be more mindful of your manners and etiquette, so that people won't say that the Duke's Mansion is rude."

One word touched Jia Baoyu's heart, and a tear rolled down his cheek: "Yes, Lin Daiyu... Lin Daiyu is no longer Lin Daiyu."

Seeing that he seemed to have fallen ill again, Daiyu asked, "Did you come alone?"

Jia Baoyu said wistfully, "Grandmother won't let me see Lin Daiyu, but I can't bear to leave her and want to see her with my own eyes."

Regardless of his purpose, whether Jia Baoyu understood that his trip was only causing trouble for Daiyu and himself.

Daiyu decisively said, "I'm fine. From now on, you and I don't need to see each other again."

Jia Baoyu cried, "I know that Lin Daiyu has married someone, and I will also get married. We can no longer see each other."

Daiyu now deeply regrets her decision. She should have secretly sent Jia Baoyu back to the Jia family instead of listening to him lamenting the passing of spring and autumn.

Daiyu rubbed her forehead, feeling somewhat tired: "Zijuan, tell someone to prepare a carriage. You go with them and hand Master Bao over to the old lady. Tell her that if there is a next time, I cannot guarantee that Master Bao will be unharmed."

Jia Baoyu was startled: "Sister Lin, what do you mean by this?"

"It means nothing," Daiyu said coldly. "I'm just asking the old lady to teach my grandson. I'm now considered a guest in your family, so you still need to be mindful of your manners in front of me."

Jia Baoyu was always very well-behaved outside, but he was unrestrained in the Prince Duan's mansion, which was no different from his previous relationship with Daiyu, who was the Lin girl who had lived in the Jia family.

Upon hearing this, Jia Baoyu's face turned deathly pale: "I...you..."

Daiyu added, "By the way, you're getting married? Congratulations! My husband and I won't be attending the wedding banquet."

Jia Baoyu's face turned even paler, and tears streamed down his face as he couldn't help but sob.

Daiyu waved her hand and said, "See the guest out."